Neon flash light assembly



Sept. 12, 1961 SCHMIDT 2,999,922

NEON FLASH LIGHT ASSEMBLY Filed July 20, 1959 INVENTOR, 14L FRED TJcHM/D 7';

United States Patent 2,999,922 NEON FLASH LIGHT ASSEMBLY Alfred T.Schmidt, 5547 Vineland, North Hollywood, Calif. Filed July 20, 1959,Ser. No. 828,371 Claims. (Cl. 240-114) At the present time it iscustomary to provide so-called neon flash light assemblies which includea mounting box or casing provided with a flasher element of some form,and a battery. Such devices are placed at excavations or at any locationwhich is dangerous and might result in an accident to a pedestrian,motor vehicles, or children and which serve as warning lights. Suchdevices when they incorporate neon tubes, are often subjected to roughhandling, or struck by children or others which may break the neon tubethus rendering the warning device inoperative.

An object of the present invention is to provide a suitable support fora neon tube of helical form, whereby direct shock to the neon tube isprevented.

The average flasher light utilizing a neon tube of helical form dependsupon the tube ends to support the same which is unsatisfactory if theneon tube is subjected to sudden shock. It is evident that when such atube is broken that the device is useless until replaced and as a rulethis takes considerable time and a skilled operator to disassemble andreassemble the device.

The present invention acts as a support for a helical neon tube withoutin any manner detracting from the light giving properties of the neontube and which assures against breakage of the tube under ordinaryservice conditions.

Another object is to provide a neon flasher light assembly which isinexpensive in cost to manufacture, of simple construction and generallysuperior to devices of this character known to the inventor.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a flasher light assemblyincorporating the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing means for supportinga helical neon tube; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a member utilized in the practice ofthe invention.

Referring now with particularity to the drawing, I have shown myinvention as incorporated in the usual form of a flasher light casing orhead 1, this casing includes a circular side wall 2, a back wall 3, andan annular front wall 4. A lens 5 is secured to the annular front wall 4usually by providing the front wall 4 with an annular groove 6 forreceiving the circular edge of the lens. Usually the circular side wall2 is provided intermediate its width with an internal web 7 formed witha central cut-out portion indicated at 8, which in the present instanceis substantially square. Secured to the inner surface of the side wall 2are a plurality of equidistantly spaced apart transverse enlargements 9and which extend to the web 7 but terminate inwardly from the outer edge10 of the side wall 2. Such enlargements are provided on both sides ofthe web as best shown in FIGURE 2 at 11. These enlargements are formedwith screw threaded bores, the back 3 being held within the confines ofthe circular side wall 2 for bearing engagement against ends of saidenlargements 9 with screws 12 passed through openings in the back wall 3and into the tapped bores of said enlargements 9. The annular front wall4, sometimes termed a web rests against the outer ends of theenlargements 11 and may be held thereagainst by passing screws throughholes in the front wall 4 and into the tapped bores in the saidenlargements 11. In this "ice manner the parts of the casing are held inworking relationship.

The web 7 has secured thereto at diametric points, members such as shownin FIGURE 4 and which mem bers in each instance comprise a clip 13 and achannel member 14 secured to said clip. As is usual, the clip includes amember 15 which is flat surfaced while the other member 16 is deformedor bent so as to have pinch engagement with the member 15. The channelmember 14 includes a base 17 and two parallel side walls 18 and 19, thebase 17 being secured to member 15 of the clip. One side wall 19 isprovided with a bore 20 near the top edge thereof while the oppositeside 18 is provided with an upwardly slanting slot 21. As before stated,two of said devices are provided and the clips in each instance embracethe web 7 as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3. The clips are diametricallyaligned.

A neon tube 22 is provided having convolutions or a helical coil 23 anda tube length 24 which is axially passed through the coils of the helixas shown at 25 while the opposite tube end of the helical coil is bentto provide a depending portion 26 which is substantially in rightangular relationship to the portion 25. Electrodes 27 and 28 extend fromthe ends 25 and 26. To support the neon tube, I provide a straighttransparent tube 29 which axially fits within the helical coils 23 withends of said tube 29 cut away-beyond the helical coils to provide halfround portions 30 and 31. The half round portions 30 and 31,are-received within and between a pair of the channel members 14 whichare secured to To hold the half round portions of the transparent tubewithin said channel members, a spring wire 32 is passed through the bore20 of each channel member while the opposite end is passed inwardly ofthe inclined slot 21 which bends the wire in passing over the half-roundend in the manner shown in FIGURE 3 and securely holds the tube. Asshown, the portion positioned within the tube 29, the electrode 27extending outwardly of the half round portion 30. The web 7 is providedwith a radial channel portion 33 within which the tube portion 26 isreceived. The wall 2 is provided with an external enlargement 40 and atubular extension 41 which is externally screw threaded at 42. Theelectrodes 27 and 28 are passed through the enlargement 40 and throughthe tube 41.

This assembly is adapted to be fastened to a housing of some form whichmay contain means for flashing the neon tube as well as a battery andthe tubular extension 41 is received in said housing and secured theretoby means of a nut engaging the threads 42. This latter arrangement isnot shown and does not form a part of the present invention.

'It is believed that the operation, of the invention as just describedscription given. However, it may be pointed out that the assembly iseasily opened for access to the neon tube, by removing the screws 12.The wires 32 may be removed from the channel members 14 which willrelease tube 29 and the neon tube supported thereby. Thus replacementmay be easily made of a broken neon tube although breakage of such atube is reduced to a minimum for the reason that the neon tube andspecifically the ends thereof, such as the end 26, does not support thetube. Vibration, shock and the like will have no effect upon the neontube for the reason that the portions 25 and 26 are non tube supportingand each helical coil of the neon tube is carried on the periphery oftube 29.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character disclosed, a casing having a circularside wall, a web secured to and within the confines of said side wall,diametrically disposed channel members secured to said web insubstantial alignment,

uses and advantages the web 7 as shown.

25 of the neon tube is are obvious from the dea transparent tubeprovided with half round ends, the half round ends being confined in thealigned channels of'said channel members, and a helical neon tubesurrounding the transparent tube. between the half around ends thereoffor supporting said helical neon tube, said channel meme bersv beingformed to detachably receive spring wires adapted to overlie the halfround portions of the transparent tube for holding the half aroundportions within said channel members.

2. In a device of the character disclosed, acasing having a circularside wall, a web secured to and Within the confines of said side Wall,diametrically disposed channel members secured to said web insubstantial alignment, a transparent tube provided with half round ends,the half round ends being confined in the aligned channels of said,

channel members, and a helical neon tube surrounding the transparenttube between the half round ends thereof for supporting said helicalneon tube, one end portion of said helical neon tube axially extendingfrom one half around end through the transparent tube to the other halfround end.

3. In a device of the character disclosed, a casing hav-' ing a circularside wall, a web secured to and Within the confines of said side wall,diametrically disposed channel members secured to said web insubstantial alignment,

formed with a radial concavity and the opposite end of,

said neon tube being bent to be spacedly received within said concavity,both ends of 'said helical neon tubetbeing provided with electrodes.

4. In a device of the character disclosed, a casing having a circularside wall, a web secured to and within the confines of said side Wall,diametrically disposed channel members secured to said web insusbtantial alignment, a transparent tube provided with half round ends,the half round endsbeing confined in theaIigned channels of said channelmembers, and a helical neon tube surrounding the transparent tubebetween the half round ends thereof for supporting said helical: neon.tube, each channel member provided with a clip for securing the channelmember to the Web.

5. In a device of the character disclosed: a casing providedwith acircular side wall formed to carry a lens, a web within said casing anda pair of diametrically disposed channel members supported by said web,each channel member having a pair of legs, one leg of each member beingformed'with a transverse hole and'the opposite leg of each channelmember formed with an inclined slot opening inwardly from one edge ofthe leg; a substantially transparent tube formed with half round endportions, disposed between the channels of said channel members,deformable wire members passed through the hole and the inclined slot ofeach channel' member leg and overlying a half-round'end'of thetransparent tube for holding the tube to said channel members, and ahelical neon tube supported by and surrounding the transparent tube. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

